President William Ruto and ex-Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during their tour of the Nyanza region.
The growing political hostility against President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in Mt Kenya could have forced the ruling party to skip the region in its new schedule for grassroots elections.
Some of the Mt Kenya counties had been scheduled for the phase two polling centre-level grassroots elections initially planned for June, 2024 before they were postponed following the nationwide Gen Z protests.
But in the new schedule set for April, the party has opted to conduct the grassroots elections in North Eastern, Nyanza, Ukambani and parts of Western region, where the ruling party largely has no major political influence.
According to the initial schedule, grassroots elections in Mt Kenya were to kick off on June 22, 2024 where Nyandarua and Tharaka Nithi were to vote for officials while on August 10, 2024 Kiambu, Embu, Meru and Murang’a were to follow suit. On August 24, 2024 Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Laikipia were to close the Mt Kenya region chapter.
In the new schedule, UDA has announced phase two polling centre-level grassroots elections in 11 counties on April 11. Another six counties will have the exercise on April 12, according to the UDA National Elections Board Chairman Anthony Mwuara.
“The National Election Board of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) hereby issues an official notice regarding the phase II polling centre-level grassroots elections scheduled for April 11 and 12, 2025,” said Mr Mwaura.
On April 11, the exercise will be conducted in Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Kajiado, Turkana, Kisii, Nyamira and Bungoma counties. Others are Migori, Siaya and Kisumu.
The party didn’t respond to our enquiry on why Central Kenya has been skipped in the new scheduling even as we gathered that their fear of voter apathy after the parting of ways between the president and Mr Gachagua.
On April 12, the party is set to hold the exercise in Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo and Taita Taveta.
The UDA party, which was a near religion in Mt Kenya after sweeping most seats in the 2022 general elections, is currently facing an uncertain future amid growing hostility following the impeachment of Mr Rigathi Gachagua, as Deputy President.
Some of the UDA top leaders have since become unwelcome guests in the region, with others facing public heckling. Some officials have since avoided holding political engagements in the region over the perceived hostility.
This as Mr Gachagua continues to fan anti-Ruto sentiments in the region with a promise of leading the populous Mt Kenya away from President Ruto's UDA.
However, the party will still have to hold grassroots elections in the region to meet the requirements set for political parties.
The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) in August ordered the party to conclude the elections within 180 days.
UDA started the ambitious exercise in April, but was forced to abandon the polls after concluding the exercise in only two counties of Busia and Homa Bay out of the initial five that were scheduled in the first phase.
The party had planned to conduct the exercise in Nairobi, Narok, Busia, West Pokot and Homa Bay in the first phase.
But constituency level elections in West Pokot were postponed over reports of possible violence while Nairobi and Narok were postponed following petitions challenging the credibility of the exercise.
“In line with good governance practices and the mandate of this office, the party is hereby directed to finalize the party elections as soon as practically possible but not later than a hundred and eighty (180) days from the date of this letter,” Registrar of political parties Anne Nderitu said in August, 2024.
In a recent interview with Nation, UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar said the party has since rolled out a series of activities, including meeting delegates at the county level to popularise the party and identify specific locations to launch its party offices.
“As a party, we are already preparing for the elections and we have already set a date. The activities we are carrying out including the launch of party offices is part of a bigger strategy for the party to be united to gain a footprint in every location across the country,” said Mr Omar.
Mr Omar said the upcoming elections will be seeking to have in place officials who have an understanding of the party principles and those willing to inform the people regarding the government achievements for the past few years.
“We did not have chaos in our previous elections. What happened is that we had people who were trying to fight from within but since they are now gone, we have put in place mechanisms to ensure a peaceful process where those elected will be agents of the party and uphold the party ideals,” he said.
